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History

Honor and Agreements

Wilson Fisk met with Nobu Yoshioka to discuss the fallout from an attack that Yoshioka suffered the night before despite an arrangement he made with Fisk. Fisk tried to make Yoshioka understand his position, but Yoshioka simply insulted it, and when James Wesley gave a more polite translation of his words, Yoshioka translated them himself to make his opinion clear.

Fisk assured that he fulfilled the guarantees he made to Yoshioka, by clearing both the docks and his path of police as he was a man of honor, and if the Black Sky was so valuable and rare, Yoshioka should have told him about its importance beforehand.

Yoshioka then asked Fisk if he would like to renegotiate their relationship, and realizing what he truly meant, Fisk quickly apologized to Yoshioka. Yoshioka said one last quote, and left the building slamming the door.

Once Yoshioka left, Wesley asked Fisk if he understood Yoshioka's last words, and Fisk explained that a threat such as that would be clear in any language. Wesley commented the need of teaching manners to Yoshioka, but Fisk ordered him to leave it alone. Wesley commented what would have happened to them if the Russians had spoke to Fisk in that way, and Fisk reminded him that these men were not the Russians.

Wesley then asked what was Yoshioka and his men's role, but Fisk simply said they were a necessary evil. Wesley showed concern of the way Yoshioka spoke to Fisk, especially in that moment when everything was following their plan. Fisk explained that in a situation like that is when they needed to be extremely cautious.[1]

Setting the Trap

James Wesley briefed Wilson Fisk about his latest popularity polls, that showed Fisk's approval rising in political, ethnic and economic lines. Also, Wesley informed they managed to fulfill the requirements so that his organizations would be tax-exempt according to 501(c)(3), and also that Senator Randolph Cherryh asked for a meet with Fisk. Regarding this meeting, Fisk told Wesley to schedule it for breakfast, but reject the first place that Cherryh's staff members suggested.

Fisk asked about the situation regarding Detective Carl Hoffman, who, according to their sources at the Internal Affairs Bureau, had disappeared before giving his scheduled follow-up statement regarding the Assassination of Christian Blake at Metro-General Hospital. Fisk noted that they needed to put that subject behind them, and Wesley assured that if Hoffman was still in New York City, they would find him, and if he was not, they would find him too, but it would only take a little longer.

Fisk also asked about the man in the mask; Wesley explained that all members of the New York City Police Department were motivated to shoot him on sight, though the masked man was almost inactive compared to the previous weeks. Wesley theorized that maybe the masked man had given up, though Fisk theorized that he may simply be choosing his targets more carefully.

Their conversation was interrupted by Nobu Yoshioka, who entered the room though Francis, the bodyguard stationed at the door, tried to prevent it. Yoshioka twisted Francis's wrist until Wesley dismissed Francis while speaking in Japanese. Fisk apologized to Yoshioka, as he did not know he was going to come.

Yoshioka did not care about Fisk's apologies, and said something in Japanese that Wesley translated as he did not care for the accommodations. Due to the difference between what he said and what Wesley translated, Yoshioka warned him that if he ever misspoke his words, he would rip out his tongue.

Fisk explained that Wesley was only trying to be polite, but Yoshioka said that they did not have time for pleasantries, as he had come to force Fisk in solving the situation regarding the city block he was promised in return for his aid. Fisk said that one of the tenements in that block had been troublesome to vacate, so he offered one of the many city blocks he would have available in the near future. Yoshioka insisted that it had to be that specific block, but, given that Fisk had not guaranteed any specific block, he told Yoshioka he had to either be patient or choose another.

Yoshioka warned Fisk that he was bound and had people to answer to, so, following the attack suffered at the docks, their plan could not afford any other disruption, and prompted Fisk to do whatever he must do, and quickly. Fisk sought Wesley's advice, who pointed that Fisk was the legal owner of the building, so the subject could prove costly in terms of publicity even if carefully handled.

Yoshioka told Fisk that his organization would compensate him, and though Fisk appreciated the effort, he considered it unnecessary, and instead proposed Yoshioka to him in solving the situation regarding the man in the mask, that, given his determination and abilities, would require the aid of a specialist from Yoshioka's organization.

Yoshioka had a specialist with the needed skills in mind, but acknowledged that finding the masked man would be difficult given how cautious he had become. Fisk, having devised a way to drag him out, pointed that emotion could turn even the most circumspect man into a careless individual.[2]

Ambush

The man in the black mask went to the warehouse where Junkie Jake, the man who killed Elena Cardenas, told him the men who paid him for the murder contacted them. The masked man spent a while examining the building and its surroundings, and believing it to be empty, entered inside.

He found a table with a large amount of blueprints for Hell's Kitchen Redevelopment Plans, but while he was examining them, he began to hear a slow heartbeat that, suddenly, got quicker and approached him. The masked man warned him that he did not come there for him, as he was looking for Wilson Fisk, but the ambusher, revealing himself as a ninja in a red garment, told the masked man that he was the one he had found.

The masked man recognized the ninja as Nobu Yoshioka from their previous encounter at the docks. Yoshioka acknowledged he also saw the masked man with Stick, referring to him as the old fool; something Yoshioka was not expecting. The masked man claimed he was not part of Stick's war, but Yoshioka said that he aided Stick despite that, damaging him and causing "displeasure" while doing it.

The masked man asked Yoshioka if Fisk had sent him, if he had paid a junkie to kill a woman just to lure him into a trap; Yoshioka simply acknowledged that the trap succeeded. The masked man then explained that he made sure that no one was inside the building, as he made that mistake once going against the Russians, but he was unable to perceive Yoshioka's presence given that he had slowed his heart and lowered his body temperature.

Yoshioka realized Stick had taught the masked man the ways of his organization, though the man once again said he was not involved with him. Yoshioka acknowledged that the man in the mask was a warrior, so he deserved a warrior's death.

Tired of the conversation, the masked man told Yoshioka that he had come to the warehouse looking for Fisk, but it looked like he would have to settle for Yoshioka. Yoshioka warned him that he had shown respect, so the man would be wise to return the courtesy. Taunting him, the masked man told Yoshioka that he would have to earn it.[2]

Battle

Nobu Yoshioka began the attack against the man in the mask, throwing a series of Bo Shurikens that the masked man, was able to deflect with his wooden sticks. Yoshioka quickly approached him while throwing the weapons, physically attacking the man. Despite Yoshioka's superior skill, the masked man was able to hold his own, evading some of Yoshioka's attacks and managing to endure the others.

The masked man was knocked to the floor more than once, but he quickly got up to retaliate, though Yoshioka blocked each and every of the masked man's attacks.

Yoshioka revealed a concealed weapon, a Kyoketsu-shoge, that would allow him to attack the masked man from a distance. Knowing his disadvantage, the masked man threw one of his wooden sticks to deflect the weapon and quickly approached Yoshioka. Yoshioka redirected the weapon and aimed it at the masked man's face, who protected himself with his arms and suffered a deep cut.

The masked man attacked Yoshioka in close quarters, and despite Yoshioka managed to cut him in the chest and the back, the masked man was able to block and grab the weapon, trying to make Yoshioka release it. However, Yoshioka pulled the weapon's chain until he could attack the man, and threw him again to the floor with a kick.

The masked man, weakened by the injuries, tricked Yoshioka into throwing the Kyoketsu-shoge against a floor, making its blade to nail itself on the table. The masked man tried to benefit from having disarmed the ninja, but he quickly knocked the man in black again and retrieved the weapon.

The masked man tried to change his strategy, suffering even more cut deeps from Yoshioka, and began to make the ninja use his weapon to destroy some of the environment, such as making the lamps fall or opening a hole in a barrel full of gasoline, that began to impregnate the floor.

Yoshioka acknowledged that the man in the mask was a worthy opponent, so he considered an honor to claim his life, and saluted the man before resuming the attack. Yoshioka was able to inflict almost fatal wounds, especially with an attack that made the Kyoketsu-shoge turn around the masked man and stuck it in his stomach, dragging him through the floor.[2]

Nobu Yoshioka's Death

The man in the mask was able to release himself from Nobu Yoshioka's grip, and with his remaining strength, kick him to knock him to the ground in an area covered by gasoline. However, Yoshioka easily got up, and while the masked man was still on the floor, unable to get up due to his injuries, Yoshioka told him that he had fought well, but it was not enough.

The masked man got up and evaded Yoshioka's latest attacks to grab his wooden stick. He used the stick to deflect Yoshioka's Kyoketsu-shoge, and while trying to make it return, Yoshioka accidentally hit the lamp just above him. The lamp released sparks that ignited the gasoline and Yoshioka's body.

Burning in flames, Yoshioka desperately attacked the masked man, but he soon fell to the ground, dying from the burns, and his body began to be consumed by the flames.[2]

The masked man realized that Fisk wanted him to kill Yoshioka despite being allies; Fisk explained that, in a perfect world, they would have killed each other, but it was not a perfect world, at least yet. Fisk pointed that it took the masked man longer than he expected to find that warehouse, but Yoshioka did not mind it, as he was meditating for hours.

Fisk admitted he found difficulty in meditating, as his mind would not quiet, being something that he considered a character flaw. He also explained that he found the masked man's flaw, an emotional weakness for children and women, and he assumed that it extended to the elderly, so he killed Elena Cardenas to use it as bait.

Fisk also told him Yoshioka forced his hand to solve the whole situation with Cardenas, so his options were limited, but he took no pleasure in killing her. Enraged, the masked man told Fisk he was going to kill him and Fisk, preventing his bodyguards from acting, taunted the masked man to take his shot in doing so.

The masked man attacked Fisk, but due to his injuries, Fisk easily blocked the attacks and retaliated, punching him and throwing him to the floor. The masked man even tried to use Yoshioka's weapon to attack Fisk, but he was wearing a suit that protected him, so the weapon was only able to cut the first layer of cloth. Angrily, Fisk beat the masked man in the ground, punching him with all his strength and throwing him across the room, landing on a table.

Fisk cleaned the blood from his face, and voiced his disappointment on his fight against the masked man. Fisk then ordered Wesley to shoot and kill the man, but he managed to grab one of his wooden sticks and threw it against Wesley's handgun. The shot missed, and the masked man seized the opportunity to jump through a window, landing into the water, while Wesley and Francis tried to shoot him.

Fisk ordered Wesley to place men on the docks and shoot the masked man upon sight. Wesley, who in turn ordered Francis to fulfill Fisk's order, asked what to do with Yoshioka's corpse, and Fisk coldly told him to let him burn.[2]